Spark of a Lion
by Cabriel
Summary: Jack's friend was missing but when a new Decepticon appeared it only added to the mystery of his fate, especially when this 'Con seem to always have a knack of getting in Arcee's way. This story is in response of a challenge made by Storylover213. The Challenge is in his profile page. No flames please
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Transformers is owned by Hasbro and Takara. All characters are owned by their respective brands.

This story is in response of a challenge made by Storylover213. Since I've never done one before please no flames.

The Spark of A Lion

Prologue:

Leonardo Azure sighed as he watched some morons run off from KO Burger without paying. It was a usual occurrence in the town of Jasper Nevada since it was out there in the middle of nowhere and bullied liked to taunt his friend Jack Darby.

He liked Jack. Despite his troubles he was a decent young man. They became fast friends since they both liked bikes and it was a bike that almost crippled him a few weeks ago.

Leon's body fame was like Jack's, wiry but fit. They were always teased to be almost like twins however he begged to differ. Jack's hair was a dark brown as opposed to his light brown. His eyes were a deep blue as opposed to Leon's violet that were behind a pair of trendy prescription glasses. They didn't look alike. But from a distance they could be brothers.

Leon remembered the license plate of the car the sped off and limped towards his friend using a hand crutch.

"Rough day Jack?" Leon called out making Jack smile sadly.

"You have no idea," Jack sighed as he slumped on the counter. He hated his job but what could he do, he was saving up for a motorcycle and help his mom at the same time. "Now probably I've got to pay for those moron's food as well."

"I know where they live," Leon said as he leaned on the drive thru counter.

"I don't know. I don't think I'm petty enough to seek revenge," Jack said with a smile. Leon was glad to hear those words. He never saw such responsibility on a kid before despite the fact that he was a kid himself. "Though, what would you do to them?"

"I have some neon paint left over," Leon chuckled. Jack laughed as well. He knew his friend had a naughty streak. It was one of the only things he had to get even with the bullies. Only Jack could handle his reigns.

"Tempting but no," the young man shook his head. "My mom thought me to be responsible and fair. Even if they're bullies it's not right to get back at them for something this small."

"Your mom is great," Leon said in admiration. "If she could make more of you we'd have peace and prosperity in the world."

"I'll tell her you said that," Jack laughed as he looked at him almost sternly. "You're not buttering me up so you could date her?"

"I love your mom and she's one beautiful woman," Leon smiled. "But she taught me how to treat a lady and thinking her like that... I breaks everything she pounded into me. May be if we're still single when I'm thirty and I might have a chance. Then I could be your step-dad and I'd have a son I could hang with." Jack took of his hat and smacked his friend on the head with it. It was a sore subject to him that his father left him and his mom when he was growing up. He sometime saw how lonely she was and it made him want to protect her more. Even though she worries a lot.

"Dream on, Leon," Jack laughed at his friend's joke. At least he thought it was a joke. "And I thought that you already have a crush. You know that girl from Japan with the pink highlights."

"Miko?" Leon smiled softly. "You know me. I love the ladies."

"You're a geek and you know it," Jack said at Leon's affronted face.

"A handsome geek," Leon recovered. "A handsome and very suave super-robot geek."

"Leon. If a very beautiful robot would stand here today you'd totally fall in love with her" Jack simply said making his friend shrug.

"As long as she could love me back," Leon returned. "I have standards. What use is love if it's only one-sided?"

"Have to work for love," Jack said in wisdom beyond his years.

"Ooh, haven't thought of that," Leon jested as he stood straight. "But I swear that I, Leonardo Azure will fight for love with all my life, spirit and soul!" a couple of passing students giggled at his expense but he didn't care. He never did care about what they thought of him.

"Well, if I see a hot looking robot I'll hook you up," Jack said, his worries demolished by his friend's antics but he also could see the seriousness in Leon's eyes. He believed what Jack had said. And that was enough for him.

"I'll hold you to that, Jackson Darby," he said as they bumped fists and he began to walk away. "Tell her about me and make sure to lay it in thick." Jack only laughed as he saw his friend disappear around the store's corner.

"That guy's sniffed a lot of glue," Jack shook his head and was surprised that Leon's head poked back to smile at him.

"Plastic Models this days are snap-ons," he said. "See ya!" Jack only laughed and prepared to get out of work.

/****

Arcee retracted Sadie as she parked at KO Burger's parking lot. She watched as the two 'Cons pass by her as she maintained her cover. She wanted to bash their chassis to what they have done to her partner but she also knew that discretion is the best tactic she could opted at that time. She would get the Cons but not without back up.

"Wow," Arcee heard a human exclaimed as he neared her. "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. And if Jack would see you he would say the same thing." Arcee froze. Did this human know about her? She felt his fingers gently caress her metal workings and it made her shiver. Not out of disgust but out of pleasure. No one had garnered such reaction from her, not even the Autobots she had worked with or those she admired.

Somehow, this fleshling, his tiny human was making her spark crave more of his touch.

The human crouched down in front of her and caressed the side of her headlamp. As she looked at him, it looked like he was looking deep into her spark. And seeing those amethyst orbs of his, she felt like seeing into his soul.

"You're tired," he stated. It shocked her on how he could be so precise. He simply smiled softly and gave her a light kiss on the nose of her front end. "You'll be fine. There are people who cares about you. You must think that I'm crazy talking to a motorcycle. Maybe I am. My friend thinks I'm crazy but I'm harmless. Most of the time. Though I have this irresistible urge to wax you." the youth stood up using his crutch and bowed elegantly at her.

"My name is Leon. I hope we dance someday," with that he left whistling a tune. Arcee simply parked there in wonder. There were a lot of crazy being in the galaxy and this one was one of the craziest.

But... she liked him.

And despite the pain in her spark for losing yet another friend, she really hoped that she would dance with him. Despite the face that they were of two separate species.

/**8***

A few minutes later, Leon was puttering along in his battered Mini when he saw Jack and a young boy walking back towards town. Curious, he stopped and honked them making Jack smile as he and the boy walked towards him.

"My hero," Jack smiled as he opened the door, letting the young boy sit at the back before he himself sat in front.

"What the hell happened?" Leon asked confusingly. "I few moments ago I left you at KO Burger."

"I'm not sure myself," Jack sighed as he leaned back at the seat. "I'll tell you later." Leon then looked at the boy who had an awed expression on his face.

"Got a name kid?" he asked.

"Raf," he smiled. "You must be Leon."

"You know me?" Leon blinked. It was rare that people know him.

"Dude with looks that hangs around the toy store and drives a beat up Mini," Raf recited. "The guys at the comic book store says you're a legend."

"Don't know if I'm thrilled or disappointed at that," Leon said as he shifted in gear and headed back into town.

"Going somewhere?" Jack asked as he noticed a large backpack beside Raf.

"Convention," Leon smiled. "Three days of nothing but Super-robots and merchandise."

"Sorry if we delayed your trip," Jack said but Leon waved him off.

"Come on, what are friends for?" Leon smiled as the car slowly made its way towards town.

"Drop us of on KO. I left my bike there," Jack sighed suddenly tired of the day's events. The trip was silent as they reached the place. When Leon stopped the car, he got out and help Raf out of the small compact. "I owe you one."

"Remember to send the lady robots my way and we're even," Leon said making Jack nervously smile and shake his head.

"If I meet her again I'll ask for her phone number," Jack said as he knocked at the car's roof. Leon simply laughed and finally was on his way. He and Jack were friends for a long time and he knew it Jack wanted to let him know what had happened he would tell him later.

For now, it was him and the road and nothing would stand in his way in getting to that convention.

Nothing except a couple of mean looking cars that blocked his path.

Leon frowned as he stopped the car. Looking at the two cars they were identical in every way and he had a bad feeling about this. The two cars suddenly changed. Transformed into giant robots and Leon would have thought that it was cool, until they fired at him.


	2. The Hunter

Chapter I: The Hunter

Arcee and Jjack were worried.

It had been a couple of days since they had escaped the base and they didn't have any communication from the others. The lack of information was killing them. It had been on the news. A large tower of alien origin had landed near the town of Jasper Nevada, and Agent Fowler couldn't hide this from the public. Especially since the Decepticons were terrifying the people as they flew by them.

He was worried about Miko, how she sadly looked at him before Bulkhead drove her away. He was worried about Raf as well. But more importantly, he was worried about his mom. He hoped she was all right. He wanted to be with her badly but things were looking bad for the Autobots.

Especially when the Decepticons had came out of hiding.

He also wondered how Leon was doing.

It had been a few months since Jack had seen Leon. Usually he wouldn't be worried. Leon had a habit of traveling and wouldn't be back at Jasper for weeks at a time. But not hearing from him, even after hitting one of his conventions? It was unheard of. It was like he had disappeared from the face of the Earth.

And that troubled him.

"What's the matter?" Arcee asked as she saw Jack frowning from her rear view mirror. She had come to know the human pretty well and they have been closer than her partners before him. She trusted him deeply and when he frowned like that it only meant that something was troubling him.

"I'm a really rotten friend," from all the things she expected, it wasn't that.

"You're a great friend," Arcee softly said as she looked at her partner. "Optimus was wise to send us off when he did. The silo was destroyed and nothing would have survived when they were faced with that. Also, you made me realize that I could still function even after the pain of losing my friends. To realize that there are people who still cared for me even in my darkest moments."

"I don't mean that," he sighed. "If I'm such a great friend, then why did I just remember by best friend just now?" Jack asked as he looked at her. Arcee stayed in her vehicle mode to hide from patrolling Decepticons. It was not hard to keep a low profile, especially since she was the smallest of team Prime. "I mean, he was with me the day I met you and even gave me and Raf a lift back into town. And then all this happened and I totally forgot about him."

"Has he called?" Arcee tried to make him see the logic in his situation. It was not unusual for her friends not to call her but Jack's world wasn't at war so there must be some logical explanation for him forgetting his friend.

"No, and that's the problem. Leon would at least tell me what he bought at the convention. Even show it to the guys at the comic shop. It's like... he disappeared," Jack sighed. He really felt bad. This was his wingman, his lancer, his padre. How could he had forgotten him? And he had promised him that he'd introduce him to femmes.

"Leon?" Arcee asked as she became uncomfortable. She remembered his gentle touch and what it had done to her spark. "Violet eyes, tend to talk to himself when no one's around?"

"He talks to himself even if there're people around," Jack smiled. "Met him?"

"Briefly," Arcee smiled. "Said I was the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Then went about saying that he wanted to wax me and invited me to dance."

"With him it could mean a lot of things," Jack said looking at Arcee with an appreciative eye. "And if he would see you, he'd ask for that dance."

"I doubt he would want to dance with a girl my size," Arcee teased. It was rare that they got to talk like this since the evacuation. Even for a little while they would forget the sadness of their situation. Far from home and missing their friends. Add the fact that the Decepticons would probably win the war and it looked bleak for all of them. Jack and Arceehad little time for small talk but this was one of the rare ones that they could enjoy.

"You're not aware of your own feminine charms, are you?" Jack teased as he let her drive him through town.

"Jack, I'm a warrior. I've been fighting Cons even before your country was even formed. These 'charms' as you call them are non existent. I'm no more feminine than the next bot. Besides, what would an attractive human want with someone out of his species?" Jack smirked at her rant. She had just given herself away.

"So he's attractive?" Jack smiled knowingly. If Arcee was in her robot mode she was sure he would see her fluster.

"Beauty is beauty no matter the species," she said in her slightly confused state. It was when she had said the last word that she realized her blunder.

"You just answered your own question," Jack smiled. "Anyway, any idea where we are?" Thankful for the change in topic Arcee accessed her GPS.

"Des Moines, Iowa," Arcee said. "Know anything about it?" Jack merely smirked at the absurdness fate.

"Just that Iowa is the safest place in the United States," he said. "Don't know much about the city though. At least it's greener than Nevada."

"everything's greener than Jasper Nevada," Arcee quipped as she drove off. Neither had realized that they were being watched by a pair of crimson eyes watching their every move.

***/

_Meanwhile… somewhere in Denver._

Miko still couldn't believe that they had lost their second home. Hours after their evacuation, it has been on the news. Their silo was destroyed by a powerful laser, even Miko thought that it was too Hollywood to believe. Leave it to the Decepticons to destroy you ruthlessly, simply and with a flair with the dramatics.

And now, probably the whole world knew of the existence of Cybertronians.

"Cheer up, Miko. We'll see them soon," Bulkhead said as he drove on the streets of Denver, avoiding the major thoroughfares.

"I just feel bad, Bulk," Miko sighed. "The band's split up and we don't have a home anymore. Plus the Cons trashed Jasper, not that I mind but still…"

"We'll get them," Bulkhead grunted in anger. "And when I get my hands on those Cons, they'll be nothing but scrap." Miko smiled. It's nothing like a good trash talk to get her spirits up. But there was something that was eating her deep within her soul. Something that she would have to let out.

"I'm sorry about Cybertron," Miko said softly, almost too softly for Bulkhead to hear.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Bulk said he was about to say something more when something strange was standing in the middle of the road. "Um… Miko? Do Earth cats grow bigger than cars?" Miko blinked as she looked ahead. True enough, there was something catlike blocking the road and it was looking at them with guarded eyes.

It was half the height of Bulkhead in his robot form but the cat was standing on all fours so he might be taller. Miko didn't even know that it was really a cat. It looked more like a lion with its red mane bushed back from its neck. Its fur was predominantly white but had red streaks on its body, a clear sign that it wasn't from Earth. Actually, the mere fact that the thing was huge was a big factor in it as well.

Weirdly, it had saber fangs. Silver dagger like teeth that gleamed with the sun. on its paws were vicious looking claws that she knew would rip her apart by just simply touching her. And the most outrageous thing on it was a pair of wings on its back.

It was not like a sphinx's wings but those of a jet fighter. At least, that's what it looked like to Miko. Also, it seemed that there was a pair of thrusters on each wing, like a thruster pod. As they neared it, she knew that they were in trouble.

For on its wings were the marks of a Decepticon.

Bulkhead suddenly stopped the car and reversed. Normally he would be kicking its can but the thing was unimpressed by his presence. It was like that it knew that Bulkhead was not a challenge. Most Cons would gloat that he was the stronger bot. This one knew it was and wasn't in a hurry to show it.

"What are you doing? We can take him!" Miko cried out as she glared at the Lion. "This is payback for what they did to our home!"

"Not going to chance it, Miko," Bulkhead said as he turned 180 degrees and sped away. "At least until I get you hidden away. Then the pounding starts." Miko grumbled as she looked back but was surprised that the lion wasn't there anymore.

"Did he run away?" she asked but Bulkhead suddenly stopped, throwing Miko forward as far as her seatbelt let her.

"Scrap," Bulkhead grumbled as the same huge lion was blocking their escape. It didn't even looked like it moved, aside from the smoke coming from the thrusters on its wings.

"How did he do that?" Miko asked half in awe and half in fear. The Decepticons that she had seen weren't as fast as him. Not even Megatron intimidated her like this.

"Miko," Bulkhead said solemnly. There was no running away. Not with this… thing hounding them. "Get out and hide. This would get messy."

"What?" she asked indignantly. "No way! I'm staying."

"Miko, don't argue. I'm getting a nasty feeling from him. Please Miko," Bulkhead pleaded. Even Miko knew that it was serious. But she didn't want to go. She nearly lost Bulkhead once she didn't want to lose him for good. But there was no other option. Reluctantly, she got out of Bulkhead and ran towards the nearest cover.

Bulkhead sighed as he transformed. At least she was safe. But there was something different about this Con. He could have attacked them while Miko was inside him but he didn't. He actually waited.

"This is between you and me, Con. Leave the kid alone," Bulkhead said, trying to appeal to his opponent. If it was just him he would have kicked his can all over the place. But sometimes, tack was needed. Something that Optimus would use at a situation like this.

The lion looked at where Miko was hiding and found that she was defiantly glaring at him. The Con's indigo eyes merely looked at the little girl with curiosity. Turning to Bulkhead, it merely nodded and prepared to pounce.

Before Bulkhead had transformed his hands into blasters the lion was already on him. He couldn't believe the speed it had. It was on him before his hand could transform. Bulkhead was already on the ground trying to get the lion off of him before Miko could blink.

It had Bulkhead's arm in its jaws. For Bulkhead it was like fighting an Insecticon, only this was more brutal. Even as he struck it with his mace it didn't even flinch. It merely lifted him with his jaws and threw him away. Bulkhead grunted when he struck the ground. It was even tougher than an insecticon.

Not bothering to check his wound, Bulkhead immediately transformed and charged at the lion. But it just stood there. To Miko, it was like it was no longer interested. And to her, that was dangerous. If a cat was no longer interested in its prey it would either leave it alone or kill it quickly. She just didn't know how catlike the Con was.

As Bulkhead neared, the lion merely swatted the truck aside, making the Autobot roll over on its side a few times before settling on its roof.

"Bulkhead!" Miko shouted as she dashed towards her green friend. She didn't notice the lion looking curiously at her, like trying to figure out what she was doing. A few moments later it had its answer.

Miko was checking if Bulkhead was all right. Judging by his groans he was still functioning but that was one viscous swipe.

"You ok Bulk?" Miko asked. The big robot only groaned as he transformed.

"I think so," he said as he tried to get up. "that thing packs a whallop."

"Blast it!" Miko told him. "He's been luring you to play his game. Shoot it! I don't think he has any…" two blue energy beams suddenly streaked past them on both sides making it plainly clear that it was a warning. "…blasters?" Looking at the towering lion, a pair of cannons protruded on its back. Satisfied that it made its point, the lion retracted the cannons back between its wings. It just looked at them, daring them to make the next move.

"What do you want from us?" Miko shouted. She was separated from her friends and had lost a place she called a second home. She was tired and it was just pissing her off. She didn't care that she would be killed, only wished that she would see Jack again.

The lion roared as its cannons once again emerged and fired a green beam towards them.

Miko merely closed her eyes as Bulkhead covered her from the beam.

She really wished that she could see Jack one last time.

/****

_Destroyed Autobot Base. Jasper, Nevada_

Agent Fowler and June Darby slowly crept through the destroyed facility, trying to piece together what had happened. When the base blew up she had feared the worse. She didn't want to lose her son nor any of the children. She didn't want to lose anyone ever again.

As a nurse in the big city she saw death often. The reason she moved to a town like Jasper that there wasn't anything going on that would cause the premature death of a person. She wanted her son to live a normal life even though she was alone in bringing him up.

But now, fate dealt her a cruel hand. The most dangerous beings in this part of the galaxy had openly invaded Earth. She didn't know if the children made it to safety of if the Autobots were destroyed. The Decepticons patrolled the area, trying to find anything to support their claim that the Autobots were destroyed.

The only thing they found was the battered body of Optimus Prime. June didn't even know if the Leader of the Autobots was dead. They didn't know anything.

"Is this wise, Agent Fowler?" June asked as they crept in the dark.

"Not a cream filled moment," Agent Fowler said as he looked at her. "Flying's out of the question and your car is totaled. Our other option is to walk back to town. But that's not going to happen since the blasted Cons keep polluting our airspace."

"I'm just worried about Jack," she admitted as she clutched the hem of her scrub suit.

"Me too, but there wasn't any sign of the others so they must have evacuated before this place was blasted," he said, trying to allay her fears.

"Let's look around and see if there's anything else to find," Agent Fowler said as they continued on moving. June sighed as she looked around. It was hard looking around in the dark but she needed to know if her son had made it out alive.

Tired, she sat down on a steel object and took a deep breath. It didn't calm her much but it helped. She looked at the devastation around her and couldn't help but think that she was helpless. But she needed to be strong. She needed to be strong for the children. She needed to be strong for her son.

When she noticed Agent Fowler she gave him a small wave. Only Fowler's reaction was unexpected. He froze as he looked at the object above her. It was like he was hounded by the dogs of hell.

"Um, June? You may want to step away from there," he said, not taking his eyes of the object he was looking at. June slowly turned around to see a white painted metal with red on its sides. Only then, as she looked up, that she realized that she was sitting on a robotic leg.

June ran towards Agent Fowler and when she reached him looked at the robot that she had mistakenly sat. It was tall, almost as tall if not taller than Bulkhead. It was almost lanky and thin but she just figured that it was the proportions of his body. His legs were long but from afar it didn't seem so. He was predominantly white and red and if looked afar he was almost majestic. The only thing that marred his appearance was the symbol of the Decepticons on his wings.

On his left arm was a red shield and his chest had two violet light on either side. His head only had a visor on it like the other Vehicons but it was a bit different. The Visor was glowing violet and at the sides of his head were two cannons that looked like he had bunny ears from afar. His wings were hung low on his back and had a pair of thruster pods on each of them. His stance was menacing but he merely looked at them in curiosity. And what was weird that he was holding a broken sword and a huge hammer.

Agent Fowler was about to take June and run for it when a pair of cannons suddenly appeared from his back and fired a green beam towards them. All June thought before the beam hit was wishing to see her son one last time.

/****

Megatron looked slightly amused at the figure walking on the Nemesis's deck. His walk had a sense of purpose and dignity that he rarely seen in others. It almost reminded him of Optimus Prime.

"Anyone we know, my lord?" Starscream asked as he looked at the monitor, nearly glaring at the red and white figure.

"Whoever he is, he's paint job is flashier than mine," Knockout commented as he looked at the color combination of the bot.

"He is Decepticon," Megatron smiled. "Soundwave, ascertain his identity." His loyal servant bowed and began operating the computer console.

"Why don't we just ask him," Starscream said as he activated the ship's communication console. "Attention unidentified Decepticon, halt or be destroyed."

"Nice," Knockout said sarcastically. "Get a bot to talk by threatening him. Why didn't I think of that?'

"Because you're an idiot," Starscream snarled. However, the bot in question continued on walking.

"Maybe he would respond to a more higher authority," Megatron said. "Attention Decepticon, this is your Master Megatron. Stop." The bot stopped and knelt in one knee in reverence. "See Starscream. He truly is a Decepticon."

"But who is he? He looks like something old One-eyed cooked up," Knockout observed making the Decepticon leader smile even more.

"He does, doesn't he? Soundwave, have you found out anything?" the loyal follower simply shook his head making Megatron frown in thought.

"Who is your creator?" Megatron asked out loud, not realizing that the com system was still active.

"Shock…wave," said a deep voice, all the bots in the bridge looked at the Deception on the screen, still kneeling.

"Interesting. What is your name, warrior?" Megatron asked.

"Lone… wraith," it replied.

"Lonewraith. Hunt down the Autobots and bring them here. Preferably alive," Megatron ordered. Lonewraith immediately stood and ran towards the end of the ship and leapt into the sky. He was too far to be seen when he transformed and blasted away.

"Are you sure this is wise, my lord?" Starscream asked. "He might be a spy."

"Do not question my judgment, Starscream," Megatron growled out. "However, you are correct. He must prove himself first before we could accept him. Especially if he is indeed a creation of Shockwave. He is good but sometimes his experiments tended to… backfire on him."

"I see," Starscream shuddered, remembering quite well what one of those experiments had done to him in the past. "We'll just see how this one fares."

"Whatever this is, Starscream. He's more dangerous than anyone you could think of," Megatron said as he remembered the bot's posture and gait. If he wasn't a Decepticon, he was sure that he could be a Prime.

/****

Ratchet frowned at the recent decisions of his leader. He had sacrificed Cybertron for the safely of this planet? The years and comrades were lost only to be thwarted by some organic children? He should have voiced his objections more into bringing the children in their midst. It was because of them that Cybertron was lost forever.

He was in vehicle mode, trying to hide in plain view. Trying to hide the pain in his spark and the contempt he had for the loss of his planet. He was so deep in thought that he didn't realize that a pair of indigo optics were looking at him, ready to pounce.

All Ratchet heard was a beastly roar before he even notice the strike.

/****

End of chapter

A/n: Thanks for those who reviewed.


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